Topics - Eliel

Spring begins on March 20 and those who follow the old ways prepare to honor the welcomed seasonal change with an Ostara celebration.

Crop fields will be planted this week and many with personal gardens should spend time in the soil. Offerings of milk, honey, or mead are often poured into the earth.

The High Feast of Ostara will be held on the 20th near the ritual stones. Ham and seasoned eggs, fruits, fish, honeycakes and sweet wines will be served before sundown. Bonfire to be lit at sunset and music and entertainment to follow.

[event will run through the day and potentially into the next day as I know this is mid-week and might be hard for all to attend]

Time to clear out the snow and get the dream ready for spring. I'll also be working on some additional shop and home updates. I'll be streaming on Twitch while I do the update for anyone who cares to watch. (https://www.twitch.tv/aantara)

Should be starting around noon and running through to around 6pm EST (3/3). Feel free to pop in at any time - especially if you want something made home/shop-wise!

Fliers circulate through the city and throughout the 30th day of January, workers begin setting up for the faire in the marketplace. Those with existing stalls would be undisturbed but additional stalls are set out, along with areas for musicians and performers. Large braziers are placed in the center of the market to provide warmth through the winter event.

*OOC Note: It's sometimes hard to determine the medieval equivalent of things. I try to keep in mind historical and technological restraints in materials, processes and general medical knowledge. If you would like a better understanding of anything listed here, just ask.

The AetherEverything is comprised of energy. This energy can be referred to as aether. The aether is comprised of the four prime elements: earth, fire, air and water. The manipulation of the aether has several disciplines, methodologies and faiths, but for the purpose of this document, we will refer to all as 'magic'. All magic is in some way derived from the aether, be it using a trait of the aether itself or using one of the elements that comprise aether, such as fire.

The BalanceAs above; so below. As within; so without. What you put in, you'll reap. What you take away; you'll pay. The aether maintains a balance always. All magic has a cost, whether you're pulling directly from the aether or from a personal stash (or equivalent). The cost, or effect, is equivalent to the power of the spell or action used. Example: Life for life. Giving or returning life requires life paid. Be it of another being, or surrounding natural life, as well as the toll on the caster(s) themselves. The 'toll' can be distributed between several practitioners to reduce the individual cost but the cost remains. Some may find ways to cheat the balance, temporarily, but the aether will always collect and restore the natural balance of all.

The PendulumThe pendulum swing manifests in everything. All things rise and fall, ebb and flow. To everything there is a tide or season. The only factor is time. Manipulation of the aether may take an investment of time but the pendulum swing will bring an equal reaction, either over an equal amount of time, our compounded into one larger effect. In relation to what else is happening in each round, the invested energy and focus on your magic should have an equal reaction.

The FaithWhen a great many people believe in something, they give it power. Though Etla is essentially 'cut off' from the deities of other lands, the aether connects all. Those with faith may manipulate the aether much like a caster, but the Balance and the Pendulum are still in effect. Their faith must be unwavering, putting in as much as they expect to get out.

The RiftThe Rift works as a sort of bubble around the island and has an effect on magics as well. Anything that exists within the bubble (fire, earth, light, shadow, time, gravity, life/death to name a few) can exist and be manipulated at 'full-strength'. Things that originate outside the bubble (faith-based lore, time-specific lore, area-specific lore and the like), their existence and manipulation within the rift are diluted. The exact effects or handicaps are up to individual players but there should be a 'hit'.

The StructureWe recommend a 5 tier casting system, halving the old system. We leave the finer details to the flow of the individual RP but the tiered system is as follows. The examples given are for determining scale. Tier I(Hurt): Cantrips and minor spells. A small investment of energy for a small reward. Ex: Enough energy to cause or repair intense bruising, or summon a small creature or item.Tier II (Wound): Minor to moderate spells. A mediocre investment of energy. Ex: Enough to cause or repair bleeding, or summon a moderately sized creature or item.Tier III (Kill): Mid to large spells. A decent amount of investment for decent reward. Ex: Enough to cause or repair major organ damage, or summon a decent sized or more powerful creature or item. (humanoid/natural transformation and self-teleportation included at this level)Tier IV(More Kill): Major spell. Major investment for major reward. Ex: Grenade level blast damage. Healing extensive wounds. Summoning larger/more powerful beings and items. (minor mythical creature transformation and teleportation of self +2)Tier V(Over Kill): Massive spells. Massive investment with massive cost for massive reward. Ex: Michael Bay level blast damage. Healing massive wounds (think saving from the brink of death). Summoning large supernatural creatures. (major mythical creature transformation, group teleportation and reanimating the dead)Ritual: Anything beyond the scope of this tiered system requires a ritual with multiple casters. Includes: Resurrection, creating life, summoning greater/named spirits (only 15% chance of controlling the spirit)

Two of the King's finest airships have been docked in the harbor for the last week or so, allowing a few of the newly elected Council to load up equipment. Though little information is made available to the public, anyone watching the ongoings would notice four members of the High Council, board the ships; Research, magics, Secrets and Ships. Former Councilmember Den Fa and even the Queen have been by to bring items or well-wishes to the apparent expedition team.

[If you want to be a part of the expedition, or just want to follow along; it's being run in our Event discord server: https://discord.gg/4HcF2Dc]

What is a Mary Sue?A Mary Sue is a character (male, female or otherwise) who is given or is expected to be give unwarranted preferential treatment and unearned respect, thereby compromising the integrity and believably of the story and/or it's characters. A hallmark of the Mary Sue is that they will have very few, if any meaningful challenges, hardships, or handicaps. Obstacles that exist for others are virtually non-existent or pose little to no challenge for a Mary Sue. In fact, it will often seem that the very fabric of the universe is bending to accommodate the character.

Spring has arrived! Technically speaking. Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal. A time to plant seeds for future harvest. A time to reevaluate our lives and realign with our goals. A time to reconnect with nature and enjoy the long, sunny days.

The celebration of Ostara will begin today and continue for the next five days. Expect to find the city overflowing with floral bouquets for the next week. A special blend of incense (Frankincense, Dragon's Blood, Violet, Rose, Orange and Nutmeg) will be burned throughout the city as well to invite good fortune and blessings on the journey ahead.

We're still about a month and a half away from election day (May 1) but close enough to start organizing things. The High Council has changed slightly. The High Cleric will no longer be a part of the council, though the position will remain in the church. I have added a Tech/Research spot that will handle research and development and studies on the Rift.

Mast of Coin: Advises the crown on trade and financial decisions. Head of city finance and taxes.

Master of Laws: Advises the crown on legal affairs. Head of city guard.

Master of Secrets: Head of the spy/information network and oversees foreign affairs.

Master of Arms: Advises the crown on military affairs. Head of land-based armed forces.

Master of Ships: Advises the crown, and heads up naval and air forces.

Master of Research: Advises the crown on technological matters and heads up research and development.

Master of Magics: Advises the crown on magic affairs and maintains laws and regulations around magic use in the city.

I will try to keep this thread updated with the candidates for each position. Feel free to post your posters/flyers or notate if you're running or nominating someone here. There will be another thread for debates as we get closer.

The year has two "hinges"; Beltaine (the first of May) and Samhain (the first of November). These two days are the most magical, and often frightening times of the whole year. On Samhain, time loses all meaning and the past, present, and future are one. The dead, and the denizens of the Other World, walk among the living. Winter itself is the Season of Ghosts, and Samhain is the night of their release from the Underworld.

With the recent red star event and the damage inflicted on the rift that holds Etla in place, such a magical time is a bit worrisome. Nonetheless, it seems officials are preparing for the Festival of Lights. Notices are handed out to inform citizens of what to expect from this years festivities.

Saturday, October 29th: Lighting of the Bonfires - At dusk on Saturday, the bonfires will be lit around the city, as they are during most holiday celebrations. Wine, ale and spirits will be available. It is possible that the evening may bring faeries and pixies into town - Be watchful![This is a fairly open RP event. Feel free to gather at bonfires or drinking locations or wander about and perhaps experience some pixie shenanigans (you can use the dice chart from the pixie migration for this event as well. Effects can be temporary, last the duration of the festival, happen more than once or be avoided altogether.]

Sunday, October 30th:Feast of the Dead - A catered feast, themed for the event, to be held outside the city limits around a large bonfire. Costumes encouraged. Music & drunken dancing to occur.Sunday, October 30th:Ghost Ship - [Please see here or contact Zelanze for more details.]

Monday, October 31st:Lantern Ceremony - Lanterns will be lit and sent out into the harbor, in part to recognize fallen loved ones, and part to lure the spirits away from the city.

Tuesday, November 1st:

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Something different seems to be sweeping the City. Was it due to the Pixies? First thoughts would lead one to assume so. Maybe. One thing was for sure. Anything within the city to have drank from the city's water supply in any way would find themselves wholly and completely the opposite gender. If someone is pregnant they would be exempt from this change somehow. Be it through food made with the cities water, or drinks themselves, the whole city would find this event of Halloween to be shocking indeed. Men become Women, Women become Men. Happy Halloween. (Effect will last up to three days at most)

I would like for everyone to please keep in mind that Eileadora has a 16+ dream rating. We are not 18+. We are in Imaginarium and not in Furrabian Nights. This means that mature subjects may happen, but are mostly reserved to private areas and not flaunted about in public. This includes talking about it OOCly. Every time you speak in public, ICly or OOCly, imagine there's a 16 year old there, because they very likely could be.

I'd rather we not get in trouble for open sexual or mature discussions and/or are not forced to move the dream to FurN. I think we've all gotten a little too comfortable and we need to remember to reign it in and keep private subject matter private. And that includes on the Discord server. I can add a mature channel if needed but lets just in general, keep public area discussions to public appropriate conversations.

Reports and rumors have been filtering in from nearby towns and travelers on the road. It seems a band of pixies is making their way north and leaving shenanigans in their wake! We expect them to hit the city by weeks end...